Remote controls are often used in ceiling fans hanging from down rods with canopies attached to ceilings, wherein a handheld remote control activates a remote receiver in side of the fan which turns the fan on and off. The open cavity of the canopy can have enough room for the receiver to be inside. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,277 to Whitaker and U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,832 to Su.
However, hugger type low-profile fans have motor housings generally attached directly to a ceiling without a down rod, and have little room to mount a remote receiver inside the housing. In view of the limited space it is difficult to install remote control receivers inside of the hugger type low-profile fan housings. Additionally, there is a danger of the remote receiver and/or the loose wires attached to the receivers can fall into the moving motor which can damage the motor and be dangerous to those underneath the ceiling mounted fan.
Additionally, if the wires and remote receivers are not firmly secured, the receiver and wires can rattle causing undesirable noise and vibration.
FIG. 1A is a top perspective view of a prior art hugger ceiling fan 10 with motor inside the shroud housing 15 and prior art elongated hanger bracket 20 and motor 25 hanging inside of the housing. FIG. 1 B is a side interior view of the prior art housing 15 of FIG. 1A showing the bracket along the top of the upper open end of the housing 15.
Attempts have been made over the years to try and mount remote receivers in the housings, but are difficult to use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,274 to Bias et al. describes a low profile ceiling fan having a remote control receiver. However, the remote receivers are generally required to have apertures (holes) through upper and/or lower portions of the receiver housings in order to be mounted. Forming holes into an existing receiver would not be desirable since it can damage the receiver.
Another embodiment in this reference shows the remote receiver mounted on top of the motor mount bracket which would not be desirable since the motor bracket is intended to be substantially flush mounted. As such, there is little or no room on the top of the bracket.
Another embodiment shows the remote receiver directly mounted underneath the bracket. Similarly, this would also not be desirable since it would be difficult to attach when the top of the receiver is not accessible.
Another embodiment generally requires the receiver to be slid into a pocket type opening under the end of the bracket, which may be difficult to insert into. Also, the pocket may not be a secure fit and could result in the remote receiver moving about causing undesirable noise and vibration.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems in the prior art.